


Where does your allegiance lie?

by Viola_Laterra



Category: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Genre: Multi, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 07:57:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17403056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viola_Laterra/pseuds/Viola_Laterra
Summary: Tus calls Dastan to a campaign that will leave Tamina alone in Alamut, unaware of the danger to the dagger.  Dastan debates whether now is the time to tell her what he knows.





	Where does your allegiance lie?

"Brother, how is it that she can mean so much to you after such a short time?" Tus' words penetrated Dastan's tumultuous thoughts. "I myself have many wives, and while each means a great deal to me, I am not so concerned when I am called away!" He looked up at his brother. Tus saw the pain in his face and laughed, kidding gently, "Perhaps it is because she is your first wife. I can assure you that leaving them is hard, always, but with practice it gets easier."

Dastan shook his head. He could not tell Tus what he knew; that he had seen an entire other future, that he knew of an artifact of incredible power and the dangers if it were misused; that he knew that the Hassassins were active and quite deadly and knew of the artifact, and that it was his wife who was the keeper of this artifact. But most importantly, that he had not yet been able to tell her any of this, because she was not the princess with whom he had shared that future. He fervently thanked the gods that she was not, because that princess had died in that horrible future - but it meant that he had tried to build trust with her in this reality, and it just had not been enough time to feel safe telling her all this without her feeling betrayed, or perhaps without her disbelieving him. What he managed was a weak, "Tus, I..."

Tus laughed again, a little more heartily this time, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, "Well, I do not envy you telling her of our departure! She has more than enough spirit, that one. I am proud to call her sister, and glad she is not my wife!" And then, more seriously: "Dastan, I need you with me on this campaign. I am not king yet, and I hope never to order you to do something even when I am, but this will require all three brothers as one. Your skills are unmatched..." he hesitated a moment, then "and I value your advice." Dastan sighed and nodded. They embraced briefly, and Tus left the room. Dastan sunk back to the chair, head in his hands. There was nothing for it. He would have to tell her, and tonight. And that was how she found him, later that night, head in his hands, in their chambers.

~*~

"Dastan, I cannot leave Alamut." She said, at this point with some desperation. How could she know that he knew why? Was now the time to tell her? He remained silent. He had rehearsed in his mind so many times, how he would tell her. The trust they had built in this life was more tenuous than the trust in that other life, born of fire and necessity. They had learned then to trust each other because there was no other way. And ultimately it was what had saved everyone. So he knew it was possible. But in this life they had not been tested in this way. 

She looked at him, irritated. "Dastan, did you hear me? I cannot leave my city. You must believe me that this is necessary..." she trailed off, and he saw clearly that she was thinking of explaining it to him. Was that a better way? To see if she would trust him? And as he had experienced so many times with the dagger, he saw both futures laid out for him for a moment... and decided to tell her.

"Tamina, I have something important to tell you. You'd... better sit down." Suddenly wary, she did. And he took a deep breath, and began. "You must do your best to remain open to what I am about to say. I understand that you will have reasons to doubt me, but I hope that I have proved to you in our time together that you can trust me.

"I know what the dagger is. I know that you protect it. I have seen an entire future in which my uncle tried to use it for his own gain and terrible things came of it. Miraculously I was returned and I was able to stop it from happening again." And he stopped, and waited.

She was silent. He could see the storm brewing behind her eyes - confusion, terror, fury... perhaps some stubborness and irritation that he had had the upper hand in this way all along. He waited.

At great length, she stood up, said tightly, "I will need to pray for guidance on this." and walked out of the room.

"Well, that could have gone worse," he said sardonically to the empty room.


End file.
